Gazetny pereulok, 13/15 строение 1 (Moscow)

 apartment building, 1955_construction

The House of the «Union of composers» (sometimes called «the House of hundred grand pianos») was constructed in 1956 near the Church of the and ancient city estate of Yankov-Davidov. It has 14 floors.

This well-known building has a strange story and the special security status. In 1950 the famous composers of the country here lodged.

Thanks to Shostakovich's diligence, and that of Khachaturian, Blantera and the all-powerful head of the Union of Composers of the USSR Khrennikova, in the summer of 1950 Stalin made an exception that permitted the founding of a housing co-operative «the Soviet composer» and allowed the Central Bank to grant long-term credit for the construction of this building.

To pay off the apartments, the tenants had to make payment for 15 years, but installments were stretched to 20 years.

Despite the considerable initial down payment (1,5-4 thousand rubles) many composers and musicologists dreamed of getting their names of the treasured lists of shareholders for this building.

The majority of "musical" apartments were very modest in size (40-60 square meters). Spacious apartments existed only for the chairman of the co-operative society, Dunaevsky and Rostropovich. However all musicians were very happy with a life in this elite house. On the ground floor there were two libraries - one usual and the other musical.

There were daily deliveries of dairy products, vegetables, greens to the tenants. There was linen service. There was their own first-aid station. In next Union of the Composers Building on Bryusov Lane, there was a concert hall, a sound department, restaurant, and also a hall for demonstrations of foreign films, many of which did not leave in a wide release, making with this house a uniform complex for musicians and composers.

In the house there are 93 apartments. Height of ceilings is 3,2 meters, the Court yard is fenced and protected. There is a parking.